Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-17


with heavy growth Of pine, with here
aud there patches OF beech aud other
hard wood. which are the resort of bear,
deer. wild turkey, and other game.
Yesterday morning, at gray dawn,
| while sitting in front OF fire OF logs IN
the huge cut-stonc fireplace in the club
house, Adam Coger, a noted hunter Of
this region, and gamckeeper for the as
ISOLATION, came in with the gusts Of the
cold morning air and startled the mem
Der Of the club who had come down for
q few lays decr-huniing with the state
ment that he had discovered the tracks
Of large bear up the river. He asked
if any ono would like TO accompany him
on the trail Of the monster. There was
not very general desire to go, and only
Dr. W. j. Riggs, Of Pittsburgh, and a
newspaper correspondent joined the
hunter.
The trail led in the direction OF Shaver
mountain, and after br,astiDg through
the laurel for half an hour the ascent of
the mountain began. Cogor suddenly
stopped.
"See, we are gettin' close on 10 him, s"
he whispered to the Doctor, pointing to
place where the leaves had been pressed
fiat to the ground. "He laid down
there, and he's big 'un. Well find
him near the top of this mountain on the
other side. where there's some beech and
oak. just keep your guns ready and
don't mako no noise"
With tbic ,Iv,D,,,Is,,. h. elawtoI 90,
again. Nearly at the summit a shrill
yell, like the wall OF lost soul, cut the
ears. Coger had Just passed over the
body of fallen tree. and the Doctor was
in the act Of following him when the yell
was heard. CoGcr wheeled about like a
flash with his rifle to his shoulder. The
Doctor, who has had a wide experience
in the woods, was also quick to cock and
bring his rifle 10 bis shoulder, though
both his and the hunters faces were
blauched for both knew the meaning of
that terrible. blood-chilling cry.
In the top of the fallen tree was
huge panther or mountain lion It's eyes
glowed and dilatcd with rage as it
crouched, ready for spring, waving its
long tail N a soft, pIuring fashion. The
Doctor fired first. and the beast sprang
into the air, aliGhting on the ground some
twenty feet away from Coger, who gave
it another shot, taking it back OF the
foreleg and sending bullet through its
heart.
Coger quickly jumped on the out
stretched body and cut the throat OF the
beautiful creature with his huge hunt
iDgknife. 1t proved to be the largest
panther killed in these parts for years,
measuring nearly seven feet from tip to
tip. 1t is rarely they will show fight. as
this one did, but will run at the ap-
proach of man. After il was all over and
tho beast lay dead at our feet, it was but
the work of few moments for Coger TO
skin the beast, and, that accomplished,
he again turned his attention to the
bears trail.
care you going on after the bear,
nOw?" asked the Doctor.
"Aint that what we come out fur ? "
replied Coger, looking at the Doctor in a
surprised manner
"Wcll, yes; but we've that panther
skin to take back.
I've KEN out fur bear skin, an
panther skin amt bear skin, is it?"
and he started off on the trail which led
over the summit of the mountain and
along the eastern ridge. After nearly
three miles. Coger spied the bear lying
in the sunshine IN little patch of open
woods, not more than fifty yards from
the hunters
He would not allow shot. He said
il was too easy and no fun to fire rifle
balls into "A bear at that distance, IAN
him lawn down. So he made a noise,
and the bear-a big, fine fellow, black as
up and started for the thickets
in the opposite direction. Coger stopped
him with a shot in the leg, and Bruin
turned with howl Of pain. All hands
raised their rifles and fired. Every bullet
struck him, but they did not check his
advance. Before another shot conld be
fired he was upon Coger, smashing the
rifle from his hands and tearing away a
section of his coat. In sprinPing back
and drawing bis knife Coger's heel
caught, and he fell to the ground but
while this was going on both the Doctor
and correspondent had their rifles ready
for a shot, so that when COger fell they
began to plump bullets into Bruins hide
that rolled him over on his side.
Nothing was injured except the stock
Of COgers rifle.